2031 Minor League Players of the Year

[Underground]

Minor League Pitcher of the Year - Luis "Montecristo" Lopez
For the second year in a row, Luis Lopez earns pitcher of the year award for London's farm system. Lopez debuted in AA to start the season, where he went 9-3 in 15 starts with a 2.12 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and 3.6 WAR. London management decided to promote Lopez to AAA a year early due to his domination of AA battles as well as wanted to expose him to a successful team and give him a chance at playoff starts. The 23 year old flourished at the next level, going 7-1 in 12 starts with a 2.96 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, and 2.3 WAR. Lopez is expected to start next season in AAA but will be given a shot to make the big club in Spring Training.

Minor League Hitter of the Year - Bob Brown
Another minor league player of the year alum, Bob Brown joins Lopez in repeating the achievement this year. Brown also made his AA debut this season. In 545 at bats he batted .246 with 26 home runs and 82 RBI. Most impressively, he had a .317 on base percentage and a 4.0 WAR. Brown was called up briefly to AAA for the playoffs but did not play.

Historical Record - Winters Era
Pitcher of the Year
2031: SP Luis Lopez
2030: SP Luis Lopez
2029: SP Norm Batstone
2028: SP Pete Blaquiere

Hitter of the Year
2031: LF Bob Brown
2030: LF Bob Brown
2029: 3B Arturo Rodriguez
2028: CF Rene Lems

[Alleghenies]

Offensive Player of the year: 1b Francisco Lucador (AA) - A two-time winner Lucador has shown he is ready for PEBA. Next year he is penciled in as the team's DH. This season in AAA he hit .259/.352/.554. He had 45 home runs along with 31 stolen bases. While WV had other great hitters in the minors, Lucador deserved it the most.

Pitcher of the year: Jose Tojeira (AAA) - In a nail-biter for who would win, Tojeira came out on top as the minor league pitcher of the year. Tojeira will be in the Alleghenies rotation next year. In AAA he went 15-4 with a 1.78 ERA in 26 games. In a 176 innings pitched he only gave up 117 hits and 31 walks, while getting 160 strikeouts. The future is bright.


Hitter of year:
2031: 1b Francisco Lucador (AAA)
2030: 1b Francisco Lucador (AA)
2029: RF Javier Drake (AAA)
2028: 1b Joey Toms (AA)
2027: Thought league was dead... Should have Francisco Rivera (AAA)
2026: SS Bang-xao You (AAA)
2025: 1b Ryosei Ohayashi (AAA)
2024: 1b Ron Copeland (A)
2023: 2b Carlos Garza (AA)

Pitcher of year
2031: Jose Tojeira (AAA)
2030: : P Juan Guerrero (AA)
2029: Orlando Rúbio (A)
2028: José Vazquez (A)
2027: Thought league was dead.....Should have been Alfredo Reyes (AA)
2026: Jack Mundy (AA)
2025: Alfredo Zambrano (AAA)
2024: Marcos Alcorta (A)
2023: Yovhannes Pahlevanian (AA)

[Lions]

• Amsterdam Minor League Hitter of the Year: 3B Lindsay 'AP' Durrington (AA)
• Amsterdam Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP Manuel Canales (A/AA)

The Lions traded away their top hitting prospect in the offseason for a high draft pick, which left a fairly unexciting crop of youngsters on the offensive side. Durrington isn't a sexy prospect, in fact, he's not even in BNN's top 100 prospects list, but he did have a very good year for Den Bosch. He was an All-Star who finished runner up in Outstanding Hitter award voting after hitting .264 with 25 home runs. His 6.1 WAR led the Dykes, who were champions of the GNL for the first time ever.

Canales was acquired from Kalamazoo last December for a 2nd round draft pick. He spent most of the season with single A Utrecht, going 8-3 with a 2.63 ERA in 18 starts. He struck out 154 batters in 109 2/3 innings of work. After a promotion to AA Den Bosch, he was even better. In 6 starts, he went 3-0 with a 0.51 ERA, striking out 52 in 35 1/3.

[Dinosaurs]

• Fargo Minor League Hitter of the Year: RF Tony Mireles (AA)

Tony Mireles spent most of the season in A ball at Bismarck before a promotion to AA ball Toronto for the final 18 games of the season. Mireles' combined WAR between A and AA was 3.4 and a OPS+ of 150 and a wOBA .349.

• Fargo Minor Leauge Pitcher of the Year: SP Dave Dixon (AAA)

Dave Dixon made the jump from AA to AAA and was a September call up onto the major league squad and helped contribute to the playoff push. Dixon earned a 4.8 WAR in the minors this season across AA and AAA. He posted a 154 ERA+ in AA over 17 starts and 255 ERA+ in AAA over 7 starts.

[Apollos]

In the same vein as Dan, we didn't have anyone actually playing minor league baseball this year, so Tempe is simply going with the guys who didn't start the season with the big club but had some exposure to the active roster during the season and didn't stink completely. Given this stringent crtieria we have selected some of the WIL's finest. Without further ado...

Tempe Minor League Hitter of the Year: CF Yoshitaka Masuda

A former top PEBA prospect - by some accounts - Matsuda was unceremoniously dumped by Duluth shortly before opening day in 2031 and summarily scooped up by the Tempe baseball club. The 26 year old has standout power and speed, and plays a capable CF. Figures to be a fixture in center for the Knights as they transition to the big leagues in '32.


Tempe Minor League Pitcher of the Year: RP Armando Rubio

This was a bit trickier as relatively good health ensured that there was no turnover in our staff basically all season. Rubio was and remains, nonetheless, a top prospect as a likely late inning guy and possible bat option off the bench (check out that hit tool!). As a possible two-way player at the big league level, how could you not go for him?

[Arroyos]

Yuma's minor league system continues to suffer from a lack of talent, but two potential stars emerged this season.

Minor League Hitter of the Year: Lodewijk van Daalen, catcher

Drafted in Round 2 of the 2030 draft, "Ludwig" (as his teammates call him) was quickly promoted to Calgary's AA starting lineup where he hit .278/ .355/ .426.

Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Rafael Garcia, pitcher

Rafael started 20 games for the Salton Sea Kilmers (A), winning 12, losing 3 with a 2.35 ERA.

[Akira]

Neo-Tokyo Minor League Hitter of the Year: 2B Joe Riley (AAA)
27 HR/ 68 RBI/ 4.6 WAR
Drafted: 2026, 9th Pick in Round 2
2 Time GBB AAA RML Player of the Week Award.
1 Time GBB AAA RML Batter of the Month Award.
Won the 2031 GBB AAA RML Wild Card MVP Award.
Won the 2031 GBB AAA RML Platinum Stick Award at 2B.
Named the #38 prospect in the PEBA

Neo-Tokyo Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP Chris Morales (AAA)
15-7/ 2.36 ERA/ 3.3 WAR
Drafted: 2028, 8th Pick in Round 2
Won the GBB AAA RML July Pitcher of the Month Award.
Finished 2nd in 2031 GBB AAA RML Outstanding Pitcher Award voting.
Tossed back to back CG Shutouts (7-26/8-1)

[ehortness]

Okinawa Minor League Hitter of the Year: LF Jason Stanley AA

Okinawa Minor League Pitcher of the Year: SP Jim Rosales AA

[Denny]

Palm Springs Minor League Player Awards 2031

• PS Minor League Hitter of the Year 1B Vincente 'Dragonslayer' Gallardo (A)
• PS Minor League Pitcher of the Year SP Gerard 'Superfly' Peterson (AAA)

Palm Springs' Minor League Hitter of the Year for 2031 is first baseman Vincente 'Dragonslayer' Gallardo. Signed as an international amateur out of Panama in 20208, Gallardo began his Codgers career at the club's international complex in Santiago, Chile. After a promising 2030 campaign at SS-A Lana'i City, the Palm Springs brain trust moved him to Class A National City for 2031, with scintillating results; he led the Bankers in average, home runs, and RBIs, and won the 2031 NAFTA A BCL Platinum Stick Award at 1B, all at the tender age of 21! Small wonder he was selected for the 2031 Planetary Extreme Baseball Alliance All-Star Futures Game; this young man could be a star for the salmon and green in the years to come.


Palm Springs' Minor League Pitcher of the Year for 2031 is starter Gerard 'Superfly' Peterson. This Connecticut native was selected by the Codgers in the first round of the 2028 draft after a sparkling career with the Minnesota Lucky Rodents, capped off by his winning the 2028 USCBA COL USCBA COL Outstanding Pitcher Award. He has progressed steadily through the minors since then, and pitching this year at AAA Provo racked up 158 strikeouts to go along with a 1.78 ERA as he was chosen for the AAA Global Baseball Brotherhood All-Star Game and finished third in 2031 GBB AAA RML Outstanding Pitcher Award voting. One of the top prospects in all of PEBA, Peterson is expected to be part of the starting rotation in Palm Springs in an exciting 2032 to watch.

Historical PS Winners:
Palm Springs Minor League Hitter of the Year
2031: LF 1B Vincente 'Dragonslayer' Gallardo (A)
2030: LF John Martínez (AA)
2029: 1B Connor Burrell (SS-A)
2028: 2B Pablo Ortíz (AAA)
2027: 2B Pablo Ortíz (AAA)
2026: 2B Reuben van Driel (AA)
2025: No selection
2024: RF Shane Willis (AAA)
2023: No selection
2022: LF Thomas Woods (AA)
2021: CF Chandler Pitts (AA)
2020: RF Tony Velázquez (AA)
2019: RF Felipe 'El Niño' Días (AAA)
2018: RF Felipe 'El Niño' Días (A)
2017: LF Troy Austin (AAA)
2016: RF Alexander O'Neal (AA)
2015: 1B David Lambert (AA)
2014: 2B Nick Dunlop (AA)

Palm Springs Minor League Pitcher of the Year
2031: SP Gerard 'Superfly' Peterson (AAA)
2030: SP Graham Caswell (AA)
2029: SP Julian 'Dragon' Barnes (A)
2028: SP Ash Thompson (A)
2027: SP Víctor Andrés (AAA)
2026: SP Bob Riddle (AA)
2025: No selection
2024: SP Edgardo Guerra (AA)
2023: No selection
2022: SP Victor McKay (AAA)
2021: SP Juan García (A)
2020: MR Cleve Douglas (AAA)
2019: MR Joseph Lloyd (AAA)
2018: SP Bob Whitaker (AA)
2017: SP José Campos (AAA)
2016: CL Hisamitsu Suzuki (A)
2015: MR Larry 'Hulk' Taylor (AAA)
2014: CL Ed Emery (AA)

[Evas]

SS 2031 Minor league hitter of the Year 1B Manny "Manimal" Lara (A)
Manny "Manimal" Lara was selected #26 overall in 2030 in the 1st round. He was solid in SA in 2030 (132 OPS+ & 2.7 WAR in 353). But really found his stride at age 22 in SA posting an dominating 206 OPS+ and 7.1 WAR in only 498 PA's on his way to winning SS-A Batter of the Month Award thrice, the SS-A HL 1B Platinum Stick Award, and the SS-A HL Outstanding Hitter Award. In particular, his plate discipline took off dramatically - jumping to an absurd 25.5% walk rate on his way to accumulating 127BB - again in only 498 PA's. Critics point towards his relatively advanced age for the SA level. That's a fair criticism, but he will get the opportunity to prove the doubters wrong in 2032. The Evas front office has decided to allow him to completely bypass A-ball and jump directly to the much more developed competition of AA. If he blows the doors off of AA, the sky is the limit.

SS Minor League Pitcher of the Year SP Dong-hak "Entrop" Yi (R)
SP Dong-hak "Entrop" Yi was excellent again in 2031 in Rookie ball (146 ERA+ & 2.4 WAR in 19 starts & 125.1 IP). At only 19 years old at the start of 2032, he will likely start the season in SA. But it is possible he might impress the right people and jump up to A ball and line him self up to rack up a few more starts in the longer A ball season. The future is very bright for the Evas' top pitching prospect, but it will still likely be multiple seasons before he makes an impact in PEBA.

Follow Up on 2029's winners:
C Connor 'Click' Clavell improved once again in 2031. He emerged as a legitimate starting catcher the PEBA level by posting a solid .260/.367/.794 line with 2.8 WAR over just 289 PA's. His performance was so strong that he won major playing time from to star catcher Marvin Hansen - leading to the eventual trade of Hansen. No one in SS saw that coming when Clavell won the SS 2029 Minor league hitter of the Year. The future is very bright for Clavell with lots of playing time ahead of him at the PEBA level. Scouts could even see him making an All-Star game at some point.

SP Andrew Thornton, who won via a process of elimination in 2029, was unimpressive in 2031 - 3.63 ERA, 93 ERA+, 1.2 WAR in 86.2 IP in AAA. If he's ever going to get a chance in PEBA, it probably won't be in SS at this point.

Follow Up on 2030's winners:
1B Jeremy Craig split 2031 between AAA where he was solid (140 OPS+ in 205 PA) and PEBA, where he was less so (91 OPS+ in 127 PA). He was eventually traded to Manchester as a part of the Hansen deal. Still, scouts remain high on him and he should have a productive future in Manchester where he should get consistent playing time.

SP Takesi Ishikawa started of dominant in Rookie ball (171 ERA+ in 5 starts), after which he was promoted to SA. He was solid in SA, being split between the pen and rotation (143 ERA+ in 43 IP). He will start 2032 in A-Ball and is expected to continue to progress, because he always puts in the work.

Historical Winners:
Shin Seiki Minor League Hitter of the Year
2031: 1B Manny "Manimal" Lara (A)
2030: 1B Jeremy Craig (AA)
2029: C Connor Clavell (A)
2028: C Bob Peña (A)
2027: 3B Chor-min Park (AA)
2026: SS SS Bryant 'Mjølnir' Yamada' Hawkins (AA)
2025: 2B Errol Landry (AAA)
2024: 2B Errol Landry (AAA)
2023: RF Rowan 'Bleeder' Stuart (SS-A)
2022: RF Rowan 'Bleeder' Stuart (SS-A)
2021: SS Torazo Kodama (SS-A)
2020: SS Torazo Kodama (SS-A)
2019: 2B Takane Chikafuji (A)
2018: 3B Kiyohisa Kudo (AAA)
2017: 1B Hidemichi Okubo (AAA)
2016: 2B Shihi Suzuki (AAA)
2015: 1B Mitsunari Suzuki (AAA)
2014: LF Ryozo Takeuchi (AAA)

Shin Seiki Minor League Pitcher of the Year
2031: SP Dong-hak "Entrop" Yi (R)
2030: SP Takesi Ishikawa (R)
2029: SP Andrew Thornton (AAA)
2028: SP Sandy Garza (AAA)
2027: SP Orlando Trujillo (AAA)
2026: SP Jorge Castillo (AAA)
2025: SP Soetsu Hirai (AAA)
2024: SP Soetsu Hirai (AAA)
2023: RP Millard Norman (SS-A)
2022: RP Juro 'Tempo' Sumita (SS-A)
2021: SP Arinori Mochizuki (AAA)
2020: SP Arinori Mochizuki (AAA)
2019: SP Hideyori Tanaka (A)
2018: SP Eitoku Tamura (AAA)
2017: SP Eitoku Tamura (AAA)
2016: SP Noboru 'Hack' Sakamoto (AAA)
2015: SP Koki Watanabe (AAA)
2014: SP Kawanari Masuda (AAA)

[Fishermen]

HAR 2031 Minor League Hitter of the Year: Tetsui Takahashi (R)
Takahashi had been one of the most promising batters by raw result in last year's HAR farm system. While he is not the most dominant batter in the very talented league of youngcomers, his 4.8 WAR was still a very promising result for a young man and a 9th round pick of the most recent draft. The man might not have the power for the chicks to dig him, but a seasoned baseball fan would be amazed by his contact and ball selection on the plate. The man's slashline for the year - .339/.435/.467 - was very promising sign of a young man who had the patience and contact to be frustrate pitchers and get on bases under any circumstances.

HAR 2031 Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Sotatsu Kobayashi (S-A)
What can't he do this year? The recent supplemental first round pick of HAR put in a crazy season for the Waikiki, as he led the pitchers of the league in WAR with 5.4, had the most complete games(4), shutouts(3) and he grinded out the most inning pitches as well(145.1). He's also on the top 5 for Ks, Walk/9, WHIP, K/BB and opposing OBP. He was voted 2nd in the league's Outstanding Pitcher award for his performance. In the playoff, he was the only one to had a W against the eventual champion as Waikiki lost the series 1-3 after his dominant no run-allowed performance in game 1 of the series. The man certainly has a bright future if he could prove himself once again next season -- and could be on the fast track to big league glory!